Tales of Darkness: Snowtuft
by Lolkat123
Summary: Snowtuft. Known as one of the many Dark Forest warriors. Bullied and treated as outcast throughout his youth. But this tom only wants one thing; to defend his weaker sister. But what is the cost of strength? What is the cost of going outside of the Warrior Code in order to do what he thinks is right? First book in the Tales of Darkness Series.
1. Chapter 1

I**'ve considered doing stories for underdeveloped evil characters such as Snowtuft, Shredtail, and Silverhawk, but I was never able to figure out what their story should be. That was until I was cleaning the kitchen and I finally thought of ideas for their plot.**

**So here we go!**

**I'm just doing ThunderClan for the alliagences.**

* * *

_You think you know us._

_You think we are all the same. Evil, murderers, cowardly, cunning, sly, cruel, oh, we've heard it all._

_You don't care why we are this way. You just care about everything we've done wrong._

_If you knew our stories, would you judge us the same?_

* * *

**Allegiances**

**ThunderClan**

**Leader:** Aspenstar- lithe brown tabby tom, amber eyes

**Deputy**: Mossflame- mottled brown tabby, green eyes

**Medicine Cat:** Ivytail- gray tabby she-cat, blue eyes

_Apprentice_, Lichenpaw

**Warriors**:

Hollowflight- light brown tom, yellow eyes

_Apprentice_, Thistlepaw

Larkstep- silver tabby she-cat, blue eyes

Grassfang- brown tom, brilliant green eyes

Freezeclaw- white tom, green eyes

Fernshade- gray tabby with darker flecks, amber eyes

Mouseleap- light gray tom, blue eyes

_Apprentice_, Emberpaw

Sandcloud- pale ginger she-cat with white paws and chest, green eyes

Flaretail- fiery ginger tom, amber eyes

Swallowflight- black and white tom, blue eyes

_Apprentice_, Robinpaw

Brindlesnow- light brown tabby she-cat, hazel eyes

_Apprentice_, Leafpaw

Mapleleaf- tortoiseshell she-cat, blue eyes

Sootfang- dark gray tabby tom, amber eyes

Smokefang- gray tom with darker paws and muzzle, blue eyes

**Apprentices:**

Thistlepaw- dark gray tabby tom, green eyes

Robinpaw- white she-cat with ginger patches

Leafpaw- brown tabby she-cat with white paws, chest, and tail tip, green eyes

Lichenpaw- mottled brown tom, green eyes

Emberpaw- fiery ginger tom, blue eyes

**Queens:**

Dovefeather- white she-cat with a thick tail, blue eyes, mother to Snowkit, a small white tom with blue eyes, and Rosepaw, a pinkish-ginger she-cat with green eyes

Softcloud- pale gray she-cat with amber eyes, mother to Blackkit, a black tom with white tail tip, Furzekit, a brown tom, and Hollykit, a black she-cat

**Elders:**

Mintsky- pale gray tabby she-cat, blue eyes

Fuzzywhisker- thick-pelted gray tom, green eyes

Stonefall- small gray tom with a twisted paw, amber eyes

* * *

_Prologue_

"Hey, Dumbkit!"

"Scaredy-kit!"

"Weakling!"

"Are you gonna go cry to mommy?"

A pinkish-ginger she-kit let out a whimper. She was surrounded by young cats that were all bigger than she was, hissing insults and every now and then, one would lash out with a paw and knock her down.

A small white tom looked over at the commotion. "H-hey! Leave Rosekit alone!"

All six of the bullies glanced back to glare at the tiny kit. One large brown tom grinned and let out a hiss. "Would you like to join the fun, Snowkit?"

Snowkit flattened his ears, ruffling his pelt out to make himself look bigger. "L-leave my sister alone! You're just a bunch of cowards!"

A black tom kit stormed over to Snowkit. Though still a kit, he practically towered over the tiny tom. "You calling us cowards? You're trembling! Now stay out of it, or I'll make you!"

"I said leave her alone, Blackkit!" Snowkit, without thinking, shot forward and rammed his head into Blackkit's throat. The larger tom choked and crashed into the ground. Snowkit, hissing with fury, slashed with unsheathed claws. His blow ripped open along Blackkit's throat, and all down his chest. The black tom coughed out blood, and the crimson liquid was seeping out of his throat.

Snowkit stepped back in horror. "I… I didn't mean to…"

A brown tabby apprentice who had been messing with Rosekit yowled. "Traitor!"

Cats started to come out from their dens, blinking in confusion.

"Snowkit killed Blackkit!"

Gasps and cries of horror rang out as warriors rushed to the scene to see what had happened.

"Out of my way!" A gray tabby pushed her way through the crowd, led by a younger cat, her apprentice. "Let me see him." She crouched by Blackkit's body for a moment, then stood and shook her head. "Snowkit hit him hard. Its too late."

_What have I done?_ Snowkit crouched, ears flat, terrified by all the hate-filled glares and accusing calls._ I was just trying to protect my sister..._


	2. Chapter 2

**Silverdapple- Thanks for the first review! And I agree completely. Blackkit got what he deserved. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that anyone agrees with Snowkit.**

* * *

Life just went downhill from there. Snowkit was appalled how one mistake could ruin his life when he was only a kit.

_It isn't fair._

He kept telling himself that.

_It's just not fair._

Rosekit was still tormented by Furzekit, Thistlepaw, Emberpaw, Hollykit, and Leafpaw. Furzekit and Hollykit had turned even more bitter against both siblings ever since Snowkit killed Blackkit.

What really made Snowkit sick was that no one ever raised a paw in Rosekit's defense. They would all act like they hadn't seen anything and turn the other way. Sure, if Mossfire, the ThunderClan deputy, ever noticed it, she'd give them an earful and tell them to go collect miss for the elders, but she was usually the only one.

_Why do I have to be so small? If I were bigger, I could protect Rosekit. But whenever I try, I get beaten down into dust. They're all too big and too strong._

He had been confined to the nursery, unable to leave. Snowkit couldn't even attempt to stand up for his sister.

"What are you thinking about, Snowkit?"

He glanced back to see his mother, Dovefeather, entering the nursery and carrying a mouse.

Snowkit stared hard at his paws. "Nothing."

"You can tell me," she offered gently, sitting beside her son and setting down the mouse.

Snowkit bristled suddenly. "Were they being mean to Rosekit again?"

Dovefeather shrugged. "I hadn't noticed. Are you sure they aren't just playing with her?"

"No, they aren't! And everyone is treating me like a criminal!"

Dovefeather looked away. "You killed Blackkit. That fuels anger."

"They were hurting Rosekit! What did you expect me to do?"

"Walk away."

Snowkit stared as his mother, trying to comprehend what she just told him. Then the white tom looked furious. "Walk away?! How can you say that? My sister is treated like mouse-dung, and you want me to walk away? Where are you when they gang up on her? Where is anyone? She didn't deserve this, and neither do I!" With a wail, he raced out of the den.

"Snowkit-!" His mother turned, but the little kit was racing away and out the camp entrance.

Blindly, Snowkit ran as fast as his paws could carry him. He swerved around bushes, and crashed through ferns, making no effort to conceal himself. His soft pads were quickly sore, and had already torn, bleeding, but he kept running, ignoring the pain. His chest heaved for air, and his muscles started to burn.

Then he tripped. A paw got caught in a root, and Snowkit lost his footing. Stumbling, he tumbled, head rolling forward and paws flying into the air. He rolled in this manner a good three or four times before skidding to a halt in the soil. Hot tears burned in his eyes as he tried to breathe.

Everything hurt. His lungs, paws, legs, everything. But he couldn't stop. He didn't want to be found.

Snowkit forced himself to stand, and stumbled onward. He ignored his surroundings, putting all of his focus into moving his paws.

Then he stopped.

The gorge.

StarClan, it was _huge_.

Snowkit didn't know how he got so far away from camp. He stared down at the churning water far below in terrified amazement.

Suddenly, a blow to his back crushed him to the ground.

Thistlepaw stood, sneering, over the tiny Snowkit.

"You know," he whispered, "I could push you. It would be so easy, all I'd have to tell them is "Oh, poor Snowkit wouldn't stop running. He slipped and went over. I couldn't save him in time!" And they'd believe me."

Snowkit let out a shaky whisper. "Why... why do you hate us so much?"

For a moment, Thistlepaw's face flashed with emotion, before he snapped out of it and dug his claws into Snowkit's pelt, smirking. "It's fun."

Then a mottled she-cat started to approach. "Thistlepaw! Let him up!" Mossfire lashed her tail angrily.

The weight of the larger cat was removed, and the gray tabby adopted a look of innocence. "Snowkit was trying to jump off. I was holding him down so he wouldn't die!"

Mossfire looked at Snowkit as Grassfang, Sandcloud, and Brindlesnow all caught up to the deputy, panting slightly. Grassfang's eyes lit up. "You found him!"

He rushed over to Snowkit and sniffed at him. "Are you hurt? I was worried sick!"

Snowkit ducked away from his father. "My paws hurt," he mumbled.

"Were you trying to jump?" Mossfire asked, twitching an ear.

Snowkit shook his head, opening his jaws to protest, until he saw Thistlepaw's pointed stare. The look he gave him said "_Say anything, and you're dead, kit."_

Snowkit shuffled his paws. "No. I... was running and didn't realise I was at the edge. I'm sorry."

Mossfire stared hard at him for a moment, then nodded. "If you say so," she said, with a side glance at Thistlepaw.

_She knows he was going to push me over._

"Let's go." Mossfire turned away, flicking her tail for the others to follow. Grassfang let out a purr of relief and picked Snowkit up by the scruff, carrying him away from what very well could have easily been the end of the kit's short life.

* * *

Aspenstar stood at the top of the Highrock. "Thistlepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Eyes gleaming proudly, he nodded. "I do."

"Then from now on, you shall be known as Thistetail. StarClan honours your strength and courage." Aspenstar looked to Leafpaw. "Leafpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Leafpaw nodded excitedly. "I do!"

Aspenstar continued, "Then from now on, you shall be known as Leafwind. StarClan honours your speed and quick thinking."

ThunderClan threw back their heads and cheered for their new warriors. "Thistletail! Leafwind! Thistletail! Leafwind!"

Snowkit nudged Rosekit, who was sitting beside him. "That'll be us, someday!"

The ginger and white she-cat purred, tail twitching. "But today we're finally apprentices!"

As if on cue, Aspenstar beckoned the siblings forward with his tail. "Snowkit, Rosekit, come forward."

The two kits padded forward, Snowkit forcing his tail to keep from whisking about and keeping his fur flat.

"Rosekit, you have reached six moons and are old enough to be apprenticed. From now on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Rosepaw. Your mentor will be Smokefang. Smokefang, you learned well from Mouseleap, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Rosepaw."

Smokefang padded up to the small ginger and white she-cat, smiling. The pair touched noses as mentor greeted apprentice.

Aspenstar then beckoned Snowkit forward with a flick of his tail. Snowkit stepped closer. _I'm glad Rosepaw got Smokefang. He's a strong cat, hopefully he can help her learn some good moves to defend herself. I wonder who will mentor me?_

"Snowkit, you have reached the age of six moons and therefore are old enough to become an apprentice. From this day, until you become a warrior, you will be known as Snowpaw. Your mentor will be Mossfire. Mossfire, you are a loyal warrior, and proved to be an excellent mentor for Sootfang. I trust you will pass on all you know to Snowpaw."

The mottled brown she-cat padded up to Snowpaw, a slight smile on her face. Snowpaw stretched out his muzzle to touch his nose to hers.

_I'm an apprentice! Mossfire's apprentice, at that! But something about the way Aspenstar said 'loyal warrior'... is he suggesting I'm unloyal? They still haven't forgiven me for Blackkit's death. Well, I'll show them by being the best warrior I can be._


	3. Chapter 3

**Welp, I've finally updated this! Poor little Snowpaw is still hated for the death of Blackkit, and Thistletail seems to have ****_some_**** reason for hating Rosepaw and Snowpaw... I wonder why?**

* * *

Thistletail smashed a paw down on Snowpaw's back, sneering. "What a weakling."

Leafwind hissed with a smirk, as she ran a claw up along his throat up to his chin softly, just grazing the skin. "Such a waste of space."

Hollypaw and Furzepaw both dug their claws into his back. "You're just a little traitor, a killer, a coward." Hollypaw snarled.

"Stop!" Snowpaw squirmed. "Just leave me alone!"

"You made a mistake when you killed our brother, Snowpaw." Furzepaw growled. "And we're going to make you pay for it. Every single day of your life, we're going to remind you how worthless you are."

"No!" Snowpaw suddenly bucked up. throwing Hollypaw, Furzepaw, and Thistletail off balance. He bared his fangs, hissing. The tom was small, and was no match for all four of them. Luckily, Emberpaw was not with them at the moment, but there were still too many. "I- I'll kill you! Just like with Blackkit! I'll hurt you all if you don't leave me and Rosepaw alone!"

The four bullies were silent, before Thistletail broke into harsh laughter. "Ooh, a little terror, isn't he?" The others laughed along with him. "Well, little cat, show me. Are you a murderer?" He stepped close, closer than Snowpaw liked. However, the brown tom's claws were sheathed, and there was a smirk on his face. Thistletail craned his chin up slightly, fully exposing his throat. "Well, little cat? Do you have it in you?"

Snowpaw stared at Thistletail's throat, uncertain. _Will he really just let me kill him? Right here, right now?_

"Are you going to do it, little cat?"

_I could end this all right now... is it worth it?_

"I don't see it, little cat." Thistletail sneered, still exposing his neck. The others sneered at him. "I don't see killer in your eyes. Weakling."

_He doesn't think I can do it._

_He doesn't think I will do it._

_He's wrong._

Eyes suddenly blazing, Snowpaw slashed at an unexpected speed. His claws tore a horrid gash through Thistletail's throat, and blood immediately flowed from the gaping wound. Thistletail's expression changed from haughty to horror, and then pure terror. He coughed out blood. "I... didn't see it... but I was wrong... you're a cold killer..." The brown warrior collapsed.

Snowpaw could see Hollypaw, Furzepaw, and Leafwind's jaws moving as they let out yowls of shock and horror, but Snowpaw couldn't hear anything other then the roar of blood in his ears. _I did it. I just. I killed him. Just like that._

Everything after that was as if Snowpaw was in a daze. Leafwind shoved him fiercely, screeching as she tore into his pelt with vengeful claws. Hollypaw and Furzepaw were unsheathing their claws, running toward him.

_And now they're going to kill me._

And then he snapped out of it, and ran. Snowpaw ran faster than he ever had in his life. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, and the threats and insults that were screeched at him urged him on. He ran for his life, to the only place he knew, even though it likely wasn't safe.

He ran for home.

Ears flattened, pelt bushed, Snowpaw hared through the forest. _I'm a killer. I'm a murderer. They were right._

He crashed through the entrance to camp, looking around for his mentor. He spotted Mossfire halfway across camp, and bolted to her, knowing his pursuers were not far behind. "Mossfire," the panicked word escaped his jaws as he panted, chest heaving. "Help me," he pleaded.

The mottled ThunderClan deputy looked concerned, but when her eyes flashed to his paws, she looked startled. "Snowpaw," she asked slowly. "What did you do?"

"They were ganging up on me... Thistletail... I... killed him." Snowpaw hung his head, hot tears burning in his eyes as the true realization of what he had done started to hit him.

Mossfire's eyes widened, then her gaze hardened. "Thistletail was cruel," she said. "And he would've met his end at the claws of someone sooner or later. Are they-" As though to finish her sentence for her, Leafwind and the two apprentices crashed into camp, yowling in fury and grief. "Murderer!" Leafwind screeched, still running for Snowpaw, claws outstretched. "You killed my brother, you fox-dung!"

Grassfang leaped out of seemingly nowhere, a brown blur as he smashed into Leafwind's side, slamming her to the ground. "Get off me!" She howled, her eyes glistening with tears of grief and rage. She turned her blazing green eyes to meet his very similar optics. "Get off! I will avenge my brother!"

Grassfang bared his teeth in a snarl. "Too many times I've seen you abuse my kits. Your flea-ridden excuse for a brother almost pushed him off the gorge and lied about it. Did you think _anyone_ believed him? He got what he deserved!"

Snowpaw felt warm as he watched his father defending him. _Grassfang really does care. _

"You horrible tom," Leafwind hissed back. "You act like Snowpaw and Rosepaw are your only kits."

Then the warmth died away, replaced by icy coldness. _What is she saying?_

Grassfang's eyes widened. Leafwind continued, "Did you think Fernshade wouldn't tell us about how much of a worthless traitor you were? That you broke her heart and moved on to Dovefeather when you knew she was expecting us? You didn't even come to pay your respects when Spiderkit died of Greencough! You're disgusting, Grassfang, and they never should have been born!"

Snowpaw's eyes widened as Grassfang backed away, pure shock on his face. "I... asked her not to tell you... I didn't want you to grow up thinking I had abandoned you... I just wanted you to be happy."

"Well you ruined our lives! And now Thistletail is dead, because of your bastard son!" Leafwind stood, claws digging into the soft earth.

Grassfang was silent, before shaking his head and narrowing his eyes. "My kits are Rosepaw and Snowpaw," he hissed, staring the young warrior down. "And if you- or anyone-" He continued, raising his voice to a challenging call so that everyone in the camp could hear his statement. "_Ever_ lays a paw on either of them again, I'll personally make sure you never do again."

* * *

**Plot twist! Grassfang has not one, but two litters of kits, and won't recognize them as his kits. Which, I guess they deserve, for treating their half-brother and sister so horribly.**

**Review?**


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